By amending the Bill of Rights, aren't you really taking away some of my freedom of speech?

The freedom to desecrate our nation's flag is not a fundamental freedom deeply rooted in the First Amendment. The First Amendment allows expression of any opinion or emotion, but it has never before been interpreted to allow any and all means of expressing those opinions or emotions. The proposed amendment will not curtail free speech in any way; it will provide the resources necessary in the Constitution so that we may place off limits the desecration of our nation's flag. In this issue, a balance has to be struck between the rights of the individual and his or her responsibility to society -- a balance between liberty and license. Putting a few disgusting means of expression out of bounds in no way threatens the American system of freedom of speech.

For example, everyone agrees that there is no constitutional basis for protecting thoroughly obscene materials. Most Americans believe there should be no constitutional basis for protecting the thoroughly obscene act of flag desecration either.